Selfish
by JackieLupin
Summary: Sequel to "Redemption." In which Sakura finally gets an explanation, and the danger of an angry Sasuke is avoided.


**Title: **Selfish

**Author: **JackieLupin

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing: Kishimoto-sensei owns it all.

**Summary: **In which Sakura finally gets an explanation, and the danger of an angry Sasuke is avoided.

**Information: **"Selfish" is a ONE-SHOT in the series of "Breathe" and "Surprises." It isn't necessary to read those first, but it may help your understanding of how I portray Sakura and Sasuke. If you find that he's OC, please, don't flame me about it; _he came back, VOLUNTARILY, to Konoha, _of course he's going to be a little different! Anyway, enough of an author rant: ENJOY!

**Rating: **Mature (to be safe) for use of language and suggestive themes

Sasuke had been home for two weeks, and in that short span of time, had succeeded in mending almost every broken bond between Team 7 that had been previously shattered. Except for one, though Sakura still wasn't sure that he _wanted_ her like she wanted him. At first she believed he just craved a body to latch onto, someone who could understand him. But a few days later, in just the small things he would do - make her breakfast, walk with her home after her shift after the hospital, carry her to the bed when she fell asleep on the couch at night - convinced her that maybe she wasn't just a fling to him.

The summer night was warm, and since Sakura worked a strenuous ten hour shift, she normally would have been sleeping. But right now, she had finally gathered the courage to ask Sasuke THE question, the one she had been hesitant to ask him, but the one she _needed_ to know.

"Why did you leave?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"I was selfish," Sasuke eventually whispered against her skin harshly, "I was so selfish; that's why I left."

"We wanted to follow," Sakura whispered back, cradling his head against her chest, both arms acting like an anchor to secure him.

"No," he snarled, wrenching away from her grasp to glare at her, "_No. _I was selfish because I wanted you and Naruto _safe, _no matter how much I had to hurt you to keep you both _here_, safe, waiting for me to get back. How could I take you with me, Sakura?! I would have been distracted protecting you! And Naruto! He would have alerted every shinobi within a _hundred_ mile radius that we were there!"

Although his words stung unmercifully - she was _not_ weak, not anymore - Sakura knew what he said was true. "I could have _been_ there for you," she responded shakily, "You wouldn't have had to be alone! Kami, Sasuke! We wanted to help!"

"You would have just gotten in my way!" Abruptly, he stood up from the bed and stalked to the window, leaning against the sill, his back towards her. After a few moments of tense silence, he added quietly, "Killing Itachi was something I needed to do alone, and I didn't even get the chance.**1** Sakura... I appreciate what you would have done for me, but I was selfish. I wanted you safe for _me_ when I...returned."

"Sasuke..." she whispered; that was the closest to an apology that she was going to get from Sasuke. She loved him still, there was no doubt about that. Why else would she be here? As a friend, a teammate? This was the moment she had been waiting for, to have Sasuke back in Konoha, in Team 7, and in her arms. But Sakura had failed to see beyond that; Sasuke would not return unharmed, emotionally or physically, but then again, her and Naruto both carried their scars.

"Sakura... I loved you too much to let you come with me. And...even though Naruto and I fight all the time, I've always considered him to be...well, not a brother, but... a friend. A friend I never had growing up." Sasuke turned around to gaze at her, his dark eyes somber and emotionless. But his voice told her how he felt, along with his careful words.

"Loved," Sakura said slowly, feeling the word over in her mouth. "You said loved." Her heart was pounding. Her hands were sweating. Her ears were roaring. What was he trying to tell her? If this was it... all the time she and Naruto spent, trying to bring him home, trying to show him, convince him that Konoha was worth it, that the good side was worth it, that _they_ were worth it...would be for nothing.

And then Sasuke was in front of her, on his knees before her, taking her hands in his much larger ones and squeezing them tightly. He pressed his face against her neck and nuzzled her oh-so-gently; Sakura had stiffened at the contact, but slowly, she began to relax. "Sakura," he breathed, "I loved you then, and I love you now. Love is not something I'm familiar with anymore... but what else could describe my feelings for you?"

"Lust?" she choked out, closing her burning eyes against the tears of relief that threatened to spill onto her cheeks, "You always wanted to restore your clan..."

"No." His firm voice made her tremble, and so did his scalding hands on her face as he forced her to look him in the eye. "That doesn't matter to me anymore. You are my family. You and Naruto. Even Kakashi, that bastard." Sakura thought her heart was going to explode when the corners of Sasuke's mouth turned upward in a very small but genuine smile.

She gently reached out and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing him close again. He complied willingly, and with a quiet mumble, "You're too understanding..."

"You're too arrogant," she responded teasingly, squeezing him tightly.

"You're too touchy."

"You're too self-obsessed."

"Aren't "arrogant" and "self-obsessed" the same thing?"

"..."

"You have a short temper."

"So do you."

"Your hair is pink," he snapped back.

"I can't help it." Honestly!

"...I like it that way..." Sasuke admitted quietly, abandoning their mock-fight and tangling his fingers in the short strands, a childlike fascination sketched upon his face.

"Sasuke?" she asked him softly, watching him intently, lest she miss the moment.

"...yeah?"

"I'm glad that you left for selfish reasons. And that you came back for selfish reasons."

He glared at her.

"Hn."

**THE END!**

**Hope you enjoyed! It didn't get overly fluffy in there, because I don't think Sakura and Sasuke's relationship would be TOO fluffy. Anyway! Reviews are more than welcome! They stimulate my ideas and help me write new stories! So please, review!**

**1. **In "Surprises": Sasuke never got the chance to kill Itachi, because Itachi and Orochimaru found each other first, and took each other "to the grave." Sasuke was unable to complete his "revenge", so he returned to Konoha.

**The **_**Sasuke and Sakura Series**_**, in order, since it IS confusing:**

**-Selfish**

**-Breathe**

**-Surprises**

**(every new story I write is a prequel to whatever one I previously wrote, excluding any NaruSaku stories; in other words, I am backtracking.)**


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